Little bit of crafty

It's been a slow few weeks. There was lots of catching up to do at work after the get-together with the girls, including a big talk last Thursday. It went well. Or as well as a talk about salt appetite to a room full of kind but bored people can go. For the first time in 7 years, I didn't get nervous and choked up, so that was something.

Around the ranch, I've been busy grading papers, but managed to find a few minutes to make myself some new necklaces.
I've been wanting a garnet necklace for a long time, and finally found some garnet chips that I liked. (Not being dyed purple was my main criteria.)
And I had been wanting to do something with this blue pendant that I got at Parts & Labour in Austin. I love the pendant, but hated it on a plain chain. So now it's on three strands of tiny blue goldstone. It's an improvement.
I think there will be more necklaces to come, when I find a bit more time.


Look at my new toy! This beautiful nostepinde came from Sarah, at Maisy Day Yarn. Actually, her dad made it. If you'd like one, you can put your hot little hands on one over at Hello Yarn. It is beautiful - made of oak and purpleheart. So smooth and shiny... I love playing with it!


Last weekend I dyed some roving, which I haven't had time to spin up yet. The yellow and blue rovings are superwash merino, and the red/purple one is regular merino. I'm dying to spin the superwash... it's sooo soft and silky.

Fun Fun Fun!

Whew - it's been a week of recovery after last weekend. A week ago today, several friends descended upon us here in Seattle for a fantastic weekend of shopping, knitting, eating, and general merry-making.

We started with dinner at Bamboo Garden,a yumtastic Buddist-style veg Chinese restaurant, then moved onto some pool at a nearby bar. We later made it to "my" bar, but not until after a mile-long walk that nearly got me lynched!
Saturday found us knitting, knitting, knitting -
first at a picnic in the park (freezing!) then at Zoka, a local coffee shop. After a strenuous day of knitting, we fancied up, and headed down to the Pink Door, for an evening of excellent food, drink, company, and naughtybadfun.

(Ok, the busboy didn't REALLY get deflowered...)

The night wound up with more excellent drink & company (followed by girly slumber-party style chatting with my inestimably fabulous guest Sarah until the wee hours!).

On Sunday, we headed to the Market for a bit of shopping before most of the girls headed down to Sarah's homestead for a real slumber party. So much fun - but I had to miss out, due to work on Monday.
Everyone but Sarah returned on Monday evening, and Tuesday we rounded out the get-together with dinner at Cutter's, a seafood place near the market, followed by "Fame!" starring our own dear Rebecca.
What fun!

Aside from the flurry of activity, it was just really fantastic to see all of the girls. To see Jen and Carolyn again (they were both at Kansas), Ali, who I haven't seen in 2 years, seeing Sarah is always fun, and getting together with my neighbors here in Seattle that I NEVER get to see - Danica, Rebecca and Jenn... It was just a great weekend.